Mechanism of enhanced aviation radiation from precipitated charged particles

Determine the exact physical mechanism by which precipitated charged particles originating from Van Allen Belt interactions, potentially associated with plasmaspheric hiss waves, produce elevated ionizing radiation at aviation altitudes, in order to explain observed increases in aircraft-cabin dose rates.

Background

The paper summarizes the primary radiation sources at aviation altitudes—galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles—and highlights a third, recently proposed contributor: precipitated charged particles (PCPs) from Van Allen Belt interactions. It notes possible correlation between PCPs and enhanced radiation levels related to plasmaspheric hiss waves, citing recent studies.

Despite observational indications, the authors explicitly acknowledge that the exact mechanism linking PCPs (and hiss waves) to increased radiation at flight levels is not yet established, underscoring a concrete unresolved physics question relevant to radiation risk modeling and mitigation for aviation.